Update on the latest sports

PGA-US OPEN

US Open underway after 90-minute fog delay

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The fog lifts, a major championship gets underway, and Brooks Koepka shows up.

Koepka was among those off to a strong start in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. He shot 33 on the back nine of the South course and made it look easy.Koepka has the reputation as “Big Game Brooks” for his performance in the majors, which includes four titles. He missed the cut last week in South Carolina. No matter.

He was the first to reach 4 under until dropping his first shot at the par-3 third. Patrick Rodgers was at 4 under through the 13th hole, while San Diego native Xander Schauffele and Russell Henley were also was at 3 under. Phil Mickelson, the more famous local and reigning PGA champion, was at 2-over par.

NBA PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE

Harden available, Irving out for Nets as they try to advance

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets will continue to play without Kyrie Irving and don’t know exactly what they can expect from James Harden as the star players deal with injuries. None of that might make any difference if Kevin Durant keeps performing the way he has thus far in Brooklyn’s second-round playoff series with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Nets coach Steve Nash says Harden is available for Game 6 in Milwaukee Thursday night, but Irving won’t play. He also missed Game 5 after spraining his right ankle in Game 4. Durant picked up the slack Tuesday by collecting 49 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists as Brooklyn rallied from a 17-point deficit in a 114-108 victory at Brooklyn. He became the first player in NBA history to have at least 45 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in a playoff game.

NHL PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE

Russian goalies highlight Lightning-Islanders series

NEW YORK (AP) — Two Russian goaltenders are on center stage in the semifinal series between Tampa Bay and the New York Islanders.

New York’s Semyon Varlamov (SEHM’-yahn vahr-LAH’-mahv) is the wily veteran, coming off a season in which he set career bests in goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts. Andrei Vasilevskiy (va-sih-LEHV’-skee) is the league’s wins leader over the last four years for the defending champion Lightning. The goaltending matchup could be the deciding factor in the teams’ Stanley Cup semifinal series, which is tied 1-1 heading into Game 3 Thursday night.

NHL NEWS

Hurricanes, Brind’Amour reach extension after 3 playoff bids

UNDATED (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes have reached a three-year contract extension with coach Rod Brind’Amour after three straight playoff appearances. The Hurricanes announced the agreement Thursday. The extension comes a little more than a week after the Hurricanes were eliminated by reigning Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay in the second round. Brind’Amour is one of three finalists for the Jack Adams Award presented annually to the NHL’s top coach. Brind’Amour helped Carolina end a nine-season playoff drought after taking over in 2018. This season marked the first time the franchise had made three straight playoff trips since relocating to North Carolina in 1997.

MLB-SCHEDULE

Another injury for deGrom…Ohtani to pitch

UNDATED (AP) — Jacob deGrom once again has Mets fans crossing their fingers after leaving his start Wednesday night with right shoulder soreness.

One outing after being pulled from a gem against San Diego with right flexor tendinitis, deGrom exited after three perfect innings against the Chicago Cubs. He struck out eight, the first time a pitcher has punched out at least eight over three perfect innings since at least 1901, according to STATS.

The team did not immediately announce how long deGrom might be out, or if he’ll need an MRI or other medical testing.

Elsewhere in the majors:

— Shohei Ohtani (SHOH’-hay oh-TAH’-nee) returns to the mound for the Angels a day after hitting his 19th home run of the season. Ohtani homered for the second straight day Wednesday in an 8-4 loss at Oakland. He also neatly bunted against the shift for a single and then stole his team-leading 10th base. Ohtani is 2-1 with a 2.85 ERA in nine starts for Los Angeles, striking out 68 in 47 1/3 innings. The right-hander will be home to pitch against Detroit, which is fresh from posting a three-game sweep in Kansas City.

— Tampa Bay lefty Rich Hill makes his final start before Major League Baseball’s ban on grip-enhancing substances takes effect. The 41-year-old pitches at Seattle, a day after saying the players’ union “dropped the ball” when it came to this week’s announcement from MLB about the new policy. MLB said pitchers will be ejected and suspended for 10 games starting Monday for using illegal foreign substances to doctor baseballs.

— San Diego right-hander Joe Musgrove and Cincinnati left-hander Wade Miley (6-4, 2.92) will face off in a showdown of pitchers who have thrown no-hitters this season. Musgrove threw the season’s first no-hitter on April 9, also the first in Padres franchise history. Miley had the fourth of the season on May 7.

MLB NEWS

Rangers acquire Dennis Santana

UNDATED (AP) — The Texas Rangers have acquired right-hander Dennis Santana from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a trade. The Rangers sent minor league lefty Kevin Bautista to Los Angeles. Santana was designated for assignment by the Dodgers on Saturday. He had a 6.00 ERA in a career-high 16 relief appearances this season. The right-hander made 32 appearances over the past four seasons with Los Angeles. South Korean lefty Hyeon-Jong Yang was designated for assignment by Texas to make room on its 40-man roster for Santana.

In other MLB news:

—First baseman Mike Ford has been traded by the New York Yankees to the Tampa Bay Rays for $100,000 and a player to be named. Ford was designated for assignment Saturday when reliever Zack Britton was activated from the injured list. Ford, who turns 29 on July 4, batted .133 with three homers and five RBIs in 60 at-bats this season.

TENNIS-NADAL OUT

Nadal pulls out of Wimbledon and Tokyo Olympics

MADRID (AP) — Rafael Nadal is skipping Wimbledon as well as the Tokyo Olympics.

The 35-year-old Spaniard says he made the decision after “listening” to his body. Nadal reached the French Open semifinals last week but lost to Novak Djokovic (NOH’-vak JOH’-kuh-vich). He says the fact that there are only two weeks between Roland Garros and Wimbledon makes it harder for his body to recover from the “demanding” clay-court season.Nadal has won the title at Wimbledon twice and also won the Olympic gold medal in singles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

In another major Wimbledon withdrawal:

Naomi Osaka’s agent says the four-time Grand Slam champion will sit out Wimbledon but compete at the Tokyo Olympics. The 23-year-old, who was born in Japan, withdrew from the French Open after the first round, saying she needed a mental health break.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-JAPAN

Japan announces easing of virus emergency ahead of Olympics

TOKYO (AP) — Japan has announced the easing of a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and six other areas starting next week, ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

Daily cases have since subsided significantly from last March, when the numbers reached 7,000 and seriously ill patients strained hospitals in Tokyo and other areas. That’s paved the way for Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to downgrade the state of emergency when it expires on Sunday to less stringent measures. Those measures will last until July 11.

The Olympics are scheduled for July 23-Aug. 8. In Tokyo, new cases are down to 500 per day from about 1,100 in mid-May. If another surge occurs and strains hospitals, the prime minister says, “we will quickly take action, including strengthening of the measures.”